Children with ME need more help

More needs to be done
to help diagnose and treat young people who are suffering with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

This is according to Sir Peter Spencer, chief executive of Action for ME,
who believes that delays of up to a year and a half of getting a confirmed
diagnosis were "wholly unacceptable".

He said that there are very few ME or CFS services available to children in
the UK and that was particularly damaging to their education, as the illnesses
require them to miss a large part of their schooling.

"No other illness has such a devastating impact on so many people but
has so little money spent on scientific research or the provision of specialist
healthcare," Sir Peter added.

His comments came after a scientific study from researchers at the
University of Bristol found that around one per cent of secondary school pupils
in the UK could be suffering from chronic fatigue.